knowledge, attitude and practice toward the coronavirus

Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research - ISSN 2288-6168 (Online) Vol. 8 No.3 August 2020: 324-350

http://dx.doi.org/10.15206/ajpor.2020.8.3.324

324

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Toward the Coronavirus Disease

(COVID-19) Outbreak Among Selected Employed People in the National Capital Region, Philippines

Angelito P. Bautista Jr.1

Dianne Balibrea

Blue Chips Research and Consultancy Co.

Doris G. Bleza

Blue Chips Research and Consultancy Co. and Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philippines

Abstract

COVID-19 has challenged the pandemic response capability of many countries. Many

governments around the world have imposed strict quarantine measures and border

control to slow the spread of the virus. In the Philippines, the longest community

quarantine has been imposed in the National Capital Region (NCR). However, the

effectiveness of such measures is dependent on the cooperation of the public. The

objective of this study was to gain an understanding of the knowledge, attitudes, and

practices (KAP) of selected employees in the NCR. An online survey was conducted

June 4-18, 2020, with 100 employed people living in the NCR. Frequencies and

percentages were computed to describe the respondents’ answers, and the Kruskal-

Wallis test was used to determine the differences in the respondents’ KAP levels

according to selected demographic characteristics. Of those surveyed, 92% have a

high knowledge of COVID-19. The respondents have a positive attitude toward the

need for health education and the seriousness of COVID-19, as well as stricter

measures against the pandemic, but are less positive in terms of how the government

1 All correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Angelito Bautista, Jr. at Blue Chips Research and Consultancy Co.,20 L.R. Yangco St., Brgy. Navotas East, Navotas City, Philippines or by e-mail at [email protected].



325

is responding to the pandemic. They also follow strict measures that will prevent the

further spread of the virus. The results highlight the respondents’ favorability of

stricter government measures to control the spread of COVID-19, including the re-

imposition of an enhanced community quarantine in the NCR.

Keywords: knowledge, attitude, practice, COVID-19, survey, employees,

National Capital Region, Philippines

Coronavirus disease (commonly known as COVID-19 or formerly known as the novel-

coronavirus [2019-nCOV]) was first reported in Wuhan, China in December 2019

(Azlan et al, 2020).” Since then, it has spread to over 200 countries and was declared

a global controllable pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March

12, 2020 (WHO, 2020). Some of the common signs of COVID-19 include fever,

cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties (Abdi, 2020).”). As of June 9,

2020, more than 10 million positive COVID-19 cases have been recorded, with at least

502,000 deaths (John Hopkins University, 2020).

The first case of COVID-19 in the Philippines was recorded on January 30,

2020, while two more cases were confirmed in February 2020. Seven new patients

tested positive between March 6 and March 8, 2020, including the first cases of local

transmission. These cases were traced back to a mosque within a local shopping

center in San Juan City in the NCR. On March 7, 2020, Philippine health authorities

raised a Code Red alert after it confirmed the transmissions (ABS-CBN News, 2020).

A Code Red alert is a “preemptive call to ensure that the government and public and

private health care providers can prepare for a possible increase in suspected and

confirmed cases” (Department of Health, 2020). The Philippine government then

placed the entire country under a state of public health emergency because of the

COVID-19 threat (Official Gazette, 2020).

Several days later, the government decided to raise the COVID-19 Alert System to

Code Red sublevel 2 and imposed a Community Quarantine (CQ) in the entire NCR to

control the spread of the virus (Panelo, 2020). The CQ restricted many non-essential



326

activities and movements outside the home similar to lockdowns implemented in China

and Italy.

However, by the second day of the CQ, the government decided to enforce a

15-day Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) measure in the entire Luzon, which

includes 38 provinces and the NCR, which was supposed to end on April 12 (Lopez,

2020). On April 7, the ECQ was extended in the entire Luzon until April 30 (Patag,

2020). On April 24, the government announced the extension of ECQ in the NCR,

Region 4A (composed of the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and

Quezon), Central Luzon (except Aurora), and other areas in Luzon that were deemed

high-risk for COVID-19 until May 15 (Lopez, 2020). Other provinces were placed in a

less strict community quarantine category.

From May 16-31, the NCR was placed in a modified ECQ until May 30 (together

with Laguna in CALABARZON and Cebu City in the Visayas), which allowed more

businesses to open following strict social distancing measures. The following month,

the NCR was placed in general community quarantine (GCQ), which further eased

movement restrictions.

As of June 1, 2020, the Philippines has recorded more than 18,000 cases

including 960 deaths and 3,979 recoveries (Tomacruz, 2020a). By June 15, 2020, the

number of confirmed cases surpassed 26,000, with 1,098 deaths, and 6,252 total

recoveries (Tomacruz, 2020b).

The employment sector is one of the area’s most severely affected by COVID-19.

More than two million Filipino workers were displaced due to the quarantine measures,

according to the country’s Department of Labor and Employment (CNN Philippines,

2020a). Approximately 1.4 million of these people were displaced due to temporary

closures of establishments, while more than 600,000 workers reported reduced income

due to modified working arrangements. The NCR, which is considered the epicenter of

the pandemic in the country, recorded the highest displacement with 687,634 affected

workers (Ramos, 2020). This is the reason why thousands of workers reported back to

their workplaces after the NCR transitioned to a more relaxed GCQ, despite the

continuing threat of COVID-19 (CNN Philippines, 2020b).



327

The knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward COVID-19 play an

important role in determining a society’s readiness to receive and adapt to behavioral

change measures from the government (Azlan, 2020). Thus, the objective of this study

was to understand the KAP of COVID-19 among employed in the NCR, Philippines.

Several studies examining KAPs on COVID-19 have been conducted, but there is a

need to understand it from the perspectives of the employees in the NCR who have

been braving the threat of COVID-19 to meet the daily needs of their families.

Assessing this would be helpful to provide insights on the level of knowledge about

the virus among employed Filipinos in the NCR, and what government strategies or

policies are favorable to the members of the employment sector.

Methodology

Study Design

quantitative approach through an online survey was employed, which was

deemed most appropriate considering the restrictions imposed during the GCQ. This

gave easier access among target respondents, without sacrificing social distancing

measures. Data collection was performed online using Google Forms, and the

invitation to participate was posted and shared on social media.

The survey was conducted in the first week of the imposition of the GCQ in the

NCR, between June 4-18, 2020. Applying a systematic sampling technique was not

feasible during this period due to no available data on the actual number of employed

people in the NCR as of May 2020; so the researchers used non-probability sampling

to conduct the survey. People who are employed and who are residing or working

within the NCR and are above the age of 18 were eligible to participate in the online

survey. The researchers used different strategies to reach as many respondents as

possible. Facebook was primarily used to disseminate the survey online. This

platform was selected as it was the most visited social media site in the country

(Gonzales, 2019). Only 107 respondents took part in the survey. However, seven of

them were excluded as they were not employed when they answered the survey.



328

Survey Instrument

The survey instrument used in the study was adapted from the questionnaire

developed by Erfani et al. (2020) on the knowledge, attitude, and practice toward the

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Iran. survey respondents, including

gender, educational attainment, employment status, monthly income, and

employment sector; 2) knowledge about COVID-19; 3) attitude toward COVID-19;

and 4) practices related to COVID-19. The survey was conducted in the Filipino

language.

To measure the knowledge about COVID-19, 15 questions were adapted from

previous research. These included the respondents’ knowledge of the characteristics

of the disease, symptoms, and prevention of COVID-19. Three questions were

multiple responses: symptoms, transmission, and vulnerable sectors. In total, there

were 26 items used for the analysis (including separate items for the multiple

response questions). Correct answers were assigned 1 point, while incorrect/not

sure responses were assigned 0 points. The maximum total score ranged from 0-26.

The knowledge scores were categorized as low (scores 8 and below), moderate

(scores 9 to 17), or high (scores 18 and above).

To measure attitudes towards COVID-19, 13 items were adapted from

previous research, while seven questions were added by the researchers concerning

the government’s preparedness and the imposition of community quarantines.

Surveyed respondents were asked to evaluate their attitude towards the disease, and

the way the government handled the COVID-19 crisis. To measure practices, 10 items

were adapted from previous research, and an additional question was asked about

social distancing. Respondents were asked how frequently (all the time, most of the

time, some of the time, occasionally, or none of the time) they took several measures

to prevent contracting and spreading COVID-19. They were also asked about their

source of information about COVID-19, and how many times they left of their homes

in the past seven days to buy food or medicine, conduct financial transactions, or go

to work.



329

The first part of the online survey contained the informed consent form. All

the respondents were duly informed before the collection of the data that they could

refuse to answer any question, withdraw from the survey at any point in time without

any harm, and that all data would remain confidential. The online survey form strictly

adhered to the provisions of the Data Privacy Act. Respondents who gave consent to

participate in the survey were asked to click the “submit” button and were directed

to the survey proper.

Statistical Approach

Frequencies and percentages were first calculated to describe the

respondents’ knowledge, attitudinal responses, and practices toward COVID-19. The

collected data were analyzed using the GNU PSPP statistical software. Frequencies

and percentages were computed, while Kruskal-Wallis was used to find out if there

are differences between groups for gender, educational attainment, employment

status, monthly income, and employment sector. The statistical significance level was

set at p<.05.

Results

Demographic Characteristics

One hundred respondents participated in the study. Of the total, 63% were

women, 57% were college graduates, 85% were regular/permanent employees, 28%

earned more than Php25,001 ($512US) monthly, and 84% were employed in the

private sector. Other demographic characteristics are detailed in Table 1.



330

Table 1

Demographic Profile of the Respondents

Demographic Profile n %

Gender Female 63 63

Male 32 32

Transgender 1 1

Prefer not to say 4 4

Educational Attainment Vocational 1 1

Some College 32 32

College Graduate 57 57

Some Post-Graduate 6 6

Post-Graduate 4 4

Employment Status Regular/Permanent 85 85

Casual/Contractual 6 6

Part-time 3 3

Self-employed/Freelance 4 4

Job Order2* 1 1


Monthly Income Below Php5,000 (US$102) 1 1

Php5,001 - Php10,000 (US$102-205) 4 4

Php10,001 - Php15,000 (US$205-307) 8 8

Php15,001 - Php20,000 (US$307-410) 17 17

Php20,001- Php25,000 (US$410-512) 25 25

Over Php25,001 (US$512) 28 28


Employment Sector Private Sector 84 84

Government/Government-Owned and

Controlled Corporation (GOCC) 10 10

Non-Government Organization 4 4

No answer 2 2

2 Job order is a “piece work (pakyaw)” or intermittent or emergency jobs such as clearing of debris on the roads, canals, waterways, etc. after natural/man-made disasters/occurrences and other manual/trades and crafts services such as carpentry, plumbing, electrical and the like. These jobs are of short duration and for a specific piece of work.



331

COVID-19 Knowledge

A total of 26 items were analyzed to measure the knowledge on COVID-19.

The average knowledge score for the respondents was 20.5 (SD = 2.14, range 13-25).

Based on the results of the survey, 92% of the respondents had high knowledge about

the disease, obtaining scores between 18 and 24. About 8% had moderate knowledge

of COVID-19 (scores 13 to 17).

Table 2

Summary of the Level Knowledge of the Respondents on COVID-19

Knowledge Level Score Range n % Mean SD

Low Knowledge 0-8 - -

20.52 2.14 Moderate Knowledge 9-17 8 8%

High Knowledge 18-26 92 92%

As shown in Table 3, most respondents knew that an infected person must be

incubated for 3 to 14 days (95%) and that the disease is more dangerous among

people aged 50 and above (89%). However, there was a noticeable confusion among

the respondents on how COVID-19 can be treated. About 65% of the respondents

believe there is no treatment for COVID-19, while 11% answered symptomatic

therapy. Around 9% said that antibiotics are a treatment for COVID-19. Although no

vaccine and treatment for COVID-19 are currently available, present treatment of the

disease is symptomatic (Cascella et al., 2020). WHO recommends that patients with

mild COVID-19 be provided with symptomatic treatment such as antipyretics for

fever (WHO, 2020).

In terms of symptoms of the disease, most of the respondents answered fever

(97%), cough (94%), and sore throat (96%). About 75% of the respondents answered

body pain, 66% said headache, and only 56% chose diarrhea.

In terms of transmission, 99% were able to identify physical contact such as

handshaking, hugging, and kissing as a transmission route, followed by coughing

(92%), and contact with infected surfaces (90%). However, 22% believed the



332

consumption of contaminated dairy and meat was a transmission route. The results

of this survey are significantly important, as the selected employees were able to

appropriately identify possible transmission routes of COVID-19. In a survey

conducted by the International Care Ministries (2020) among low-income

households in the Philippines before the wider spread of the disease in the country,

only 73% of 2,090 respondents were able to identify indirect hand contact, while 81%

answered handshakes or hugs.

Table 3

Knowledge of the Respondents on COVID-19

Questions Correct (%) Incorrect

(%) Total

I have heard about COVID-19 100 (100%) - 100

COVID-19 is a contagious disease 98 (98%) 2 (2%) 100

Which of the following is the cause of COVID-19? 98 (98%) 2 (2%) 100

How long is the incubation period of the disease? 95 (95%) 5 (5%) 100

Which of the following is the treatment for COVID-19? 11 (11%) 89 (89%) 100

In which age group is the disease more dangerous? 89 (89%) 11 (11%)

Which of the following

are symptoms of COVID-

19? (Multiple response)

Fever 97 (97%) 3 (3%) 100

Cough 94 (94%) 6 (6%) 100

Sore Throat 96 (96%) 4 (4%) 100

Body Pain 75 (75%) 25 (25%) 100

Diarrhea 56 (56%) 44 (44%) 100

Headache 66 (66%) 34 (34%) 100

If I suspect that I have been infected with COVID-19, I will

take my temperature. 100 (100%) - 100

In suspecting infection with COVID-19, I should visit a

physician. 4 (4%) 96 (96%) 100



333

Questions Correct (%) Incorrect

(%) Total

In suspecting infection with COVID-19, I will avoid

unnecessary daily activities. 99 (99%) 1 (1%) 100

To avoid contracting COVID-19, I avoid contact with

individuals suspected to be infected with COVID-19. 98 (98%) 2 (2%) 100

The prevalence of COVID-19 disease is increasing in the

Philippines. 100 (100%) - 100

Washing hands with water and soap can eliminate the cause

of the disease. 98 (98%) 2 (2%) 100

How can COVID-19 be

transmitted? (Multiple

responses)

Through cough 92 (92%) 8 (8%) 100

Through contact with infected

surfaces 90 (90%) 10 (10%) 100

Through the consumption of

contaminated dairy and meat 78 (78%) 22 (22%) 100

Through contact with infected

individuals (handshaking,

hugging, kissing)

99 (99%) 1 (1%) 100

Which of the following

statement/s is/are true?

(Multiple responses)

The disease is more dangerous

in pregnant women. 68 (68%) 32 (32%) 100


is old individuals. 90 (90%) 10 (10%) 100


in people with weakened

immune systems.

94 (94%) 6 (6%) 100


is people with cancer, diabetes,

and chronic respiratory

diseases.

86 (86%) 14 (14%) 100

The differences in the medians among different demographic characteristics

were analyzed using the Kruska-Wallis test (Table 4). Since the research utilized non-



334

probability sampling, the non-parametric test was used. Results of the Kruska-Wallis

test showed that there are significant differences in the knowledge scores in terms of

the respondents’ educational attainment but not across other demographic

characteristics (Table 4).

Table 4

Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents and Their Knowledge Score on COVID-19 and Results of Kruskal-Wallis Test

Demographic Profile Mean SD Chi-

square

value

P-value

Gender Female 20.67 2.13

2.63 .452 Male 20.31 2.28

Transgender 18.00 -

Prefer not to say 20.50 1.29

Educational

Attainment

Vocational 16.00 -

10.69 .030*

Some College 20.91 2.13

College Graduate 20.63 1.91

Some Post-Graduate 20.33 1.03

Post-Graduate 17.25 2.22

Employment Status Regular/Permanent 20.61 2.00

3.73 .590

Casual/Contractual 21.00 1.79

Part-time 18.33 3.06

Self-

employed/Freelance 19.75 4.57

Job Order 19.00 -

Prefer not to say 21.00 -



335

Demographic Profile Mean SD Chi-

square

value

P-value

Monthly Income Below Php5,000

(US$102) 15.00 -

7.11 .311

Php5,001 - Php10,000

(US$102-205) 20.75 .96

Php10,001 - Php15,000

(US$205-307) 20.25 1.58

Php15,001 - Php20,000

(US$307-410) 19.65 2.67

Php20,001- Php25,000

(US$410-512) 21.08 2.12

Over Php25,001

(US$512) 20.86 1.88

Prefer not to say 20.41 1.97

Employment Sector Government/Governm

ent Owned and

Controlled Corporation

(GOCC)

20.40 1.71

2.03 .566 Private Sector 20.60 2.11

Non-Government

Organization 18.75 3.86

No Answer 21.50 2.00

COVID-19 Attitudes

The respondents were asked 19 questions to assess their attitudes. The

questions were divided into two themes: the respondents’ attitude towards COVID-

19 as a disease, its prevention, and effects (9 questions); and their attitude on how

the government is handling the crisis (10 questions).



336

For the first theme, the majority of the respondents agreed that COVID-19 is a

serious disease (98%), that health education can help prevent COVID-19 (95%), that

early detection of COVID-19 can improve treatment and outcome (94%), and that

COVID-19 is a curable disease (77%).

At the same time 67% believed that an available vaccine for the disease should

not be used if there are not yet enough studies (trials) for it. About 54% of them do

not agree that there is sufficient social awareness of COVID-19, and 60% do not

believe that that COVID-19 results in death in all cases. Also, 49% do not believe that

COVID-19 can be transmitted through household pets to humans. Interestingly,

although 56% do not agree that COVID-19 can be treated at home, 37% believed

otherwise, and 7% did not have any idea (Table 5).

In terms of how the government handles the on-going crisis, a large

percentage of the respondents agreed that authorities should restrict travel to and

from areas with high numbers of COVID-19 cases to prevent contamination (95%);

and 92% said that authorities should quarantine COVID-19 patients in special

hospitals. The same number (92%) also agreed that if there is still an increase in the

number of cases of COVID-19 in the next two to four weeks, the government should

not allow educational centers to open within the next six months; while 94% believe

that the government should continue restricting/prohibiting access to churches,

religious sites, and shrines if the number of COVID-19 cases does not decrease in the

next two to four weeks.

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Ta

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he d

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35

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Ta

ble

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(Con

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the

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in th

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cent

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the

next

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my

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the

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h to

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trol

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ad o

f

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339

Although 74% agreed that the NCR should be placed under enhanced

community quarantine (ECQ), when the same respondents were asked if the

government must place the NCR under a General Community Quarantine, 46%

answered in the affirmative, while 46% disagreed.

There was also a large number of respondents (91%) in this study who believe

that the government must conduct massive testing (test more people aside from

health workers, front liners, and persons suspected of having COVID-19) to control

the spread of COVID-19.

When the respondents were asked if the Philippine government is doing

enough to control the spread of COVID-19 in the country, only 44% agreed, while 49%

disagreed. There was also a negative attitude towards the Department of Health, as

58% believe it is not effective in addressing the problems brought by COVID-19. Only

29% agreed with this statement, while 13% did not have any idea.

Last, the respondents were also asked if their companies are prepared to

implement government policies concerning COVID-19. About 79% or 8 of 10

respondents agreed, while 15% answered negatively.

Results of the Kruska-Wallis test showed that there are significant differences

in the attitude scores in terms of the respondents’ educational attainment but not

across other demographic characteristics (Table 6).

Table 6

Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents and Their Attitude Score on COVID-19 and Results of Kruskal-Wallis Test

Demographic

Profile

Mean SD Chi-

square

value

P-

value

Gender Female 3.04 .50

1.49 .684 Male 3.09 .42

Transgender 3.57 -

Prefer not to say 3.20 .52



340

Table 6

Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents and Their Attitude Score on COVID-19 and Results of Kruskal-Wallis Test (Contd.)

Demographic

Profile

Mean SD Chi-

square

value

P-

value

Educational

Attainment

Vocational 4.00 -

14.30 .006*

College Level 3.27 .42

College Graduate 2.95 .43

Post-Graduate Level 2.93 .52

Post-Graduate 3.24 .76

Employment

Status

Regular/Permanent 3.06 .47

10.15 .071

Casual/Contractual 2.84 .34

Part-time 3.02 .16

Self-employed/Freelance 3.63 .43

Job Order 3.85 -


Monthly

Income

Below Php5,000 (US$102) 2.84 -

5.02 .542

Php5,001 - Php10,000 (US$102-205) 2.95 .33

Php10,001 - Php15,000 (US$205-307) 3.34 .43

Php15,001 - Php20,000 (US$307-410) 2.98 .40

Php20,001- Php25,000 (US$410-512) 3.08 .41

Over Php25,001 (US$512) 3.03 .58


Employment

Sector

Government/Government Owned and

Controlled Corporation (GOCC) 2.97 .44

1.96 .581 Private Sector 3.08 .49

Non-Government Organization 3.16 .37

No answer 3.13 .04



341

COVID-19 Practices

Practices toward COVID-19 were measured using 10 items. Respondents were

asked to answer how often they did the specific actions in the last seven days upon

answering the survey.

Based on the respondents’ answers, a majority paid more attention to their

hygiene (80%), used disinfectant and solutions such as alcohol (82%), wore a face

mask when in public (87%), practiced social distancing when in public (78%), and

washed their hands with soap after being in public all the time (75%). Around 56%

drank vitamin supplements all the time, while 21% drank herbal products and

traditional medicines. Moreover, very few went out of their homes in the past seven

days (63% occasionally or none of the time), and fewer went to work (53% none of

the time), which can be attributed to the strict quarantine measures in place when

this survey was conducted. Most of the respondents said that they avoided physical

contact (71% none of the time) and did not use public transportation (59% none of

the time) (Table 7). Results of the Kruska-Wallis test found that the practice scores

were not statistically different across all demographic characteristics included in this

study (Table 8).

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343

Table 8

Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents and Their Practice Score on COVID-19 and Results of Kruskal-Wallis Test

Demographic

Profile

Mean SD Chi-

square

value

P-

value

Gender Female 2.48 .44

2.87 .412 Male 2.63 .65

Transgender 1.38 -


Educational

Attainment

Vocational 4.00 -

5.41 .248

College Level 2.52 .53

College Graduate 2.53 .53

Post-Graduate Level 2.33 .21

Post-Graduate 2.32 .38

Employment

Status

Regular/Permanent 2.50 .52

1.77 .880

Casual/Contractual 2.56 .37

Part-time 2.61 .59

Self-employed/Freelance 3.01 .86

Job Order 2.27 -


Monthly

Income

Below Php5,000 (US$102) 2.64 -

6.30 .390

Php5,001 - Php10,000 (US$102-205) 2.32 .31

Php10,001 - Php15,000 (US$205-307) 2.33 .58

Php15,001 - Php20,000 (US$307-410) 2.70 .58

Php20,001- Php25,000 (US$410-512) 2.61 .53

Over Php25,001 (US$512) 2.53 .57


Employment

Sector

Government/Government Owned and

Controlled Corporation (GOCC) 2.32 .29

4.89 .180 Private Sector 2.54 .55

Non-Government Organization 2.76 .54

No answer 2.18 .00



344

Discussion

COVID-19 is a relatively new virus that has become a global health emergency within

just a few months after it was first detected in Wuhan, China. However, there has been

limited published data on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward COVID-19

among Filipinos, especially among the local workers. The novelty of this pandemic,

with many issues that have been observed, will likely become worse if these issues

are not properly addressed. Therefore, it is critical for those in authority to come up

with appropriate strategies to help mitigate the impact of the disease and prepare the

public for worse scenarios. This study, although very limited in terms of the sample,

still provides important and timely insights into how workers in the NCR understand

the situation that will guide government efforts.

The average knowledge score of the selected Filipino workers from the NCR

who were included in this study was high at 92%. This is important to highlight since

limited knowledge about the pandemic will bring additional burden to the

government in terms of communicating basic information about the disease. When

the survey was administered to the respondents, it had been almost four months

since the first local transmission was recorded, and three months since the ECQ was

imposed in the NCR. Despite the surge in misinformation and disinformation on social

media, it is a positive sign to be able to note that workers have correct knowledge

about the disease.

In terms of attitudes, the present study found that a large number of

respondents had positive attitudes about the need for health education and the

seriousness of COVID-19. In terms of government measures, the respondents have a

more positive attitude toward stricter measures such as the implementation of

community quarantines, closure of schools and religious sites, and massive testing.

However, they have negative attitudes toward the government’s general response

and the effectiveness of the Department of Health.

In terms of practice, respondents in this study follow strict measures such as

the washing of hands using soap, maintaining proper hygiene, using disinfectants and

alcohol, wearing face masks, and maintaining proper social distancing when outside



345

the home. They also avoid physical contact and taking public transportation. Overall,

respondents in this study are practicing good measures to avoid contracting or

spreading COVID-19.

There are several limitations in this study that the researchers acknowledge.

First is the sample size. Sampling was done using convenience non-probability

sampling through the networks of the researchers using only a single social media

platform – Facebook. This resulted in a small number of respondents. As a result,

there is a strong possibility of selection bias and the respondents may differ from

other members of the population of employed individuals in the NCR. Moreover,

women were over-represented in the sample (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2020),

as well as those earning Php20,001 (US$411) and above monthly, as nearly three-

fifths of Filipinos belong to the low-income class who earn below Php20,000

(US$410) monthly (Albert, Santos and Vizmanos, 2018). Thus, results cannot be

generalized to the wider population of employed workers in the NCR. Future

researchers must conduct a more systematic, probability-based sampling method to

come up with more representative and generalizable results. Additionally, the

measurement of KAP has been limited to several items, which did not include the

health-seeking intentions of the respondents. Future studies should include possible

factors contributing to the respondents’ KAP, as well as their sources of information.

Researchers may also conduct a thorough assessment of the validity and reliability of

several instruments and come up with a standardized one for future reference.

Conclusion

Thus, the study was able to provide a benchmark of the KAP of selected employed

people in the NCR, Philippines toward COVID-19. As more workers go back to work

with the lifting of strict quarantine measures in the capital region of the Philippines,

it is important to understand how some of them perceive this issue, and in particular,

apply appropriate preventive measures.

The respondents showed a high level of knowledge of the causes and

preventive measures against COVID-19. The challenge now is to sustain this high level



346

of knowledge, and future researchers can validate whether this is true of the general

population. Respondents also have a positive attitude toward the need for health

education and the seriousness of COVID-19. Also, the respondents have become more

aware of preventive practices, taking measures that will prevent further spread of the

virus. A highlight of this study is the favorable attitude of the respondents toward

stricter government measures against COVID-19, and their less favorable attitude

towards Philippine government response against the disease. A majority of the

respondents feel that the government is not doing enough, specifically the

Department of Health. Likewise, seven out of ten respondents were in favor of placing

the NCR in ECQ. The government should consider its policies in light of these results,

including conducting massive testing of health workers, front liners, and persons

suspected of having COVID-19, in order to control the spread of COVID-19.



347

References

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350

Biographical Notes

Angelito P. Bautista Jr., MCM is the general manager of Blue Chips Research and

Consultancy Co., a market and opinion research company founded in 2018 and based in

Navotas City, Metro Manila, Philippines. He completed his master’s in communication

management degree from the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication, with

distinction.

He can be reached at Blue Chips Research and Consultancy Co., 20 L.R.

Yangco St., Brgy. Navotas East, Navotas City, Philippines or by e-mail at

[email protected].

Dianne Balibrea is the co-founder of Blue Chips Research and Consultancy Co. She

graduated from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) with the degree

Bachelor of Arts in Communication Research. She was formerly a market research

assistant in an international financial services research company.

She can be reached at Blue Chips Research and Consultancy Co., 20 L.R. Yangco St., Brgy.

Navotas East, Navotas City, Philippines or by e-mail at [email protected].

Doris G. Bleza, LPT, MPA, is a Master in Public Administration graduate from the

Polytechnic University of the Philippines. She serves as an administrative officer in

the human resource department at PUP. She is also co-founder of the Blue Chips

Research and Consultancy Co., and member of the Board of Directors of TEACHERS,

INC., a non-government organization for teachers and non-teaching personnel in the

academic sector.

She can be reached at Polytechnic University of the Philippines, 3/F South Wing, HRD,

Main Building PUP A. Mabini Campus, Anonas St., Sta. Mesa Manila, Philippines or by

e-mail at [email protected].

Date of Submission: 2020-07-05

Date of the Review Result: 2020-07-31

Date of the Decision: 2020-08-07

knowledge, attitude and practice toward the coronavirus

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